Dalić Names Croatia Squad for Orlando Friendlies

Zlatko Dalić has announced a 26-man Croatia squad and issued nine preliminary call-ups ahead of the national team’s March friendlies in Orlando.

The Vatreni face a demanding doubleheader in the United States, taking on Colombia on 26 March before meeting Brazil on 31 March. Both matches are part of the friendly series “Road to ’26”, which will also feature France alongside Croatia, Brazil, and Colombia, says HNS.

Dalić has largely remained loyal to the core group that carried the team through recent campaigns, while naming nine additional players who could be called up if needed before the squad gathers on 23 March.

“We’ve managed to visit a large number of our internationals over the past few weeks, and I’m pleased to see that several of them have secured stronger roles at their clubs, which is something I asked of them back in November,” Dalić said.

“I can feel that the players are living for the World Cup. The motivation is huge, and I hope they arrive at the preparations in the best possible form and mood, and, above all, in good health. These matches in the United States will serve as an excellent test to see where we stand three months before the World Cup and what we need to work on most during our preparations.”

Dalić also emphasized the importance of team unity during the ten-day stay in Orlando.

“We’ll use those days not only for matches but also to strengthen the togetherness that has always been our advantage compared to other nations. That’s why we’re sticking with the core group that has proven itself over the past period. We also firmly believe we’ll be even stronger at the World Cup with the return of Mateo and Joško, two of our key players, and I’m happy to see them recovering well from surgery.”

He added that the expanded list of preliminary call-ups reflects the coaching staff’s ongoing monitoring of other potential candidates.

“By naming a larger number of pre-call-ups, we want to show that we’re following several other serious candidates for the national team, some of whom are currently with the U21 side ahead of an important match against Turkey. There are still many matches to play before the World Cup, and plenty of opportunities for players to earn their place through form, performances, and energy. The national team door remains open to everyone.”

Croatia will face strong opponents in the United States, something Dalić says the team welcomes.

“We’ve never shied away from tough tests ahead of major tournaments, and we’re looking forward to these challenges. Brazil probably has the strongest squad in the world and one of the greatest coaches in football history. They will certainly arrive at the World Cup as one of the main favorites for the title. Colombia, meanwhile, beat both Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and finished the group level on points with Brazil, which says a lot about their quality.

Of course, with full respect to both opponents, we also have our own strengths — quality and unity. We want to present ourselves in the best possible light while giving opportunities to as many players as possible and testing some ideas ahead of the World Cup.”

Croatia and Brazil have met five times before, with the most memorable clash coming at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the Vatreni triumphed in a dramatic quarter-final after a penalty shootout. Their first meeting came in Split in 2005 (1–1), while Brazil won 1–0 at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The Seleção also prevailed 3–1 in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup and 2–0 in a 2018 friendly in Liverpool.

Croatia has never previously faced Colombia.

The players will arrive in Orlando on 23 March from their club destinations, while the coaching staff and the federation delegation will depart from Zagreb the same day, along with players from the Croatian domestic league.

Croatia player list

Goalkeepers:
Dominik Livaković, Dominik Kotarski, Ivor Pandur

Defenders:
Duje Ćaleta-Car, Josip Šutalo, Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Kristijan Jakić, Martin Erlić, Luka Vušković, Ivan Smolčić

Midfielders:
Luka Modrić, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Lovro Majer, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, Petar Sučić, Nikola Moro, Toni Fruk

Forwards:
Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir, Marco Pašalić, Petar Musa, Igor Matanović

Preliminary Call-ups:
Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić, Franjo Ivanović, Domagoj Bradarić, Toma Bašić, Dion Drena Beljo, Franko Kovačević, Karlo Letica, Luka Stojković

Match Schedule

Thursday, 26 March
16:00 – Brazil vs France (Gillette Stadium, Foxborough)
19:30 – Colombia vs Croatia (Camping World Stadium, Orlando)

Sunday, 29 March
15:00 – Colombia vs France (Northwest Stadium, Landover)

Tuesday, 31 March
20:00 – Brazil vs Croatia (Camping World Stadium, Orlando)

 

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